Novus Crepusculum :: New Twilight
by ThyKatagel
Summary: [SpoilerWarning] Link, weary from his long adventure in the Twilight, returns to his home village. But something is wrong. He doesn't feel like a hero. Link, as he sums up his emotions, continues his Journey. But this time, with new intentions.
1. Chapter 1:   The Return

PA: So everyone, this is my Second Fanfiction that I've ever written. I really didn't like how the first was coming out, but Twilight Princess was the most amazing game ever, so I started a TP Fanfic. :3 (Sorry, watchers of Endeavoured Through The Heart! EstherxAbel will have to wait a little while for the next chapter. )

Midna: Blah blah blah, would you get on with it?  
Link: Midna! Be nice.

Zelda: She IS right though, please, begin the story, Miss Author.  
PA: Well excuuuuse me, princess!  
...(I'm sorry, I couldn't resist.  
All: JUST START!

PA: Okay! Okay! Here it is, chapter one of Novus Crepusculum - New Twilight! (And you will have to excuse me, I have summerschool soon, and I write really small chapters. So it might be a few days before a get more chappies up, and-)  
All: SHUT UP!

PA: (Sorry! ;-; Alright, last notes. Inca is the name I gave to Uli's baby. And Thrae is the name of the horse.)

-.:.Novus Crepusculum - New Twilight.:.-

.:.Chapter one - The Return.:.

For most the day would have been outlooked as a great one. The sun burned brightly at long last with it's awakening from darkness. Ordon Village was exhibitting the cheer of smiling faces as they watched their children run into welcoming arms. Yes... it was a day for celebration.

Fado, being without a missing kid of his own to welcome back, ran to his blonde helper. Patting his shoulder roughly, he grabbed link in a bear-hug and gave the boy a Nuggie. "Link m'boy! You've done it! I always knew my little goat-chaser would use them skills for good one day!".

Link smiled and gave a small chuckle at the man. "Fado, really, it wasn't a big deal. All I had to do was jump across gaping cliffs, fight off hordes of monsters, save Princess Zelda from a tower, find peices of a mirror scattered over every single land... uhm. ehm.."

"Grahhh Link you've always been the modest type."

He laughed. "Allright, maybe it was a big deal."

"Link, you shall be known in this village as... a Hero! Link, the brave son of Hyrule! Hero! Hero!" He shouted the very title to the skies and soon enough, the rest of the village parents joined in clapping and raising their fists. "Hero!", while Talo, Malo, and Beth ran in circles giggling.

Colin stood with his hands behind his back and stared at Link calmly.

Link stared blankly, while he curved his lips into an awkward smile. "Really! Really, no need cheer me on this much. I'm sure people all the way over in Kakariko Village could hear you."

Jaggle gave a hearty laugh. "Hear that Kakariko? Our boy's a hero!"

Link grew a bit more tense. "Please, Jaggle, no need to fuss." He chuckled.

Uli laughed calmly and pulled her child to her side. "If it wasn't for you though Link, my precious Colin might have NEVER made it home."

Link thought to himself for a moment, expression dulling to a sad sigh. If it wasn't for him, Midna wouldn't have made it home either. He gasped and shook his head. What was he thinking? He saved her. She needed to go back... right?

Colin spoke up, "Yeah! Link! If I hadn't been saved by you then who would take care of my baby sister? I'm here to teach Inca to be strong, like you."

Link hadn't noticed the absense of a round belly until then, and looking around, saw decor of pink ribbons all over Uli and Rusl's home.  
"Is that so? Congratulations Uli! I'm sorry I couldn't be at the celebration. How awful of me to miss the birth of your daughter."

"Oh please Link, think nothing of it. You had responsibilities to take care of."

Just then a huge rumbling could be heard from the west side of the village. Everyone turned their heads to Sera's Sundries, the Village shop.

"Oh dear," Muttered Uli. "Here comes Sera."

"LINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNK! MY HEROOOOOOOOOOO!" Shouted an operatic voice as the portly woman Sara burst through the shop door, almost getting stuck on the way out.

The villagers rolled their eyes and backed up a bit.

"LIINNNNK! Oh come HERE My brave little blondie!"

Link felt himself squeezed into yet another bear hug as his face was squished into the bosom of Sera. "Ngh-AH!" He struggled to release himself from her. When he finally managad to escape, he caught his breath. "Jeeze... (pant), Sera..(pant), What a warm welcome. E-heh..."

"Only the biggest welcome for my biggest saviour! Ohhh my little kitty has been so sad without you here! But now she has somebody to catch fish with. Isn't that right, my little poodley-pumpkin?" She made a kissy face to the cat next to her.

It meowed happily towards Link. "Yes! Mreow!"

Link blinked. Did the cat just speak? He smirked. The wolf senses were probably using their last traces. "Well I'm glad your Cat can have fun now."  
He paused, and looked around. "So, is their a party tonight or what?"

Rusl threw his head back in a laugh. "Link my boy, of course their is! Why don't you go back to your place and get some rest. Everyone, let's go set up by Jaggle and Pergies place.

"W-wait a second, actually, where is Ilia? And the Mayor?" Link questioned.  
Of all people, he expected Ilia to be waiting with everyone else. Or maybe she was busy tending to Thrae again.

Uli put a finger to her lip and pondered. "Yeah... where are they? Oh! Of course. Ilia is over by the Spring. She said to go meet her when you're done over here. As for Bo, The mayor is in Castle Town. He said he had something important to discuss with... Oh what was her name, Telma, I think?"

Link raised a brow. "Telma? I wonder what business the Mayour has with her."

Rusl looked at Uli as curiously as Link. "Yeah. I'm surprised he even knows who Telma is. Oh well, he should be back in time for the celebration anyways."

Sera gasped, "My, that Bo, he'd better! He can't miss something as important as tonight!"

As everyone started to walk away, talking about what games should be played and what kind of pumpkin meal Uli would prepare, Link sighed.  
This was too much. He knew he saved Hyrule. But...why didn't he feel like a Hero?

Hero.

The word echoed in his head. He shivered, and decided to follow Rusl's advice and walked back up the pathway to his home.


	2. Chapter 2: Ilia's Present

.:.Chapter 2 - Part 1 - Ilia's Present.:. 

Link walked at a turtles pace. In his head, he told himself he should be happy for everything. But for some strange reason, he couldn't come to even smile. Exiting the stone-walled pathway, he was introduced to the familiar small grassy clearing that his home resided in. He started his way up the ladder, noting after he changed that he had to go to the Spring to speak with Ilia, as Uli had told him. The door opened with a loud creak, and Link stepped into his home. The heat from the fieplace made him even more tiered, and he fell to his knees on his carpet. Looking around, he saw every odd and end that he hadn't seen in so long. The dreamcatcher that Beth had sloppily constructed for her Idol, the fishing pole Colin had made for him, the portrait of the mother he never knew.

"Ngha, I hope Ilia isn't getting frustrated for waiting so long."

He pushed himself from the ground and found his villiage clothing in a heap on his bed. He set down his pointy green hat and removed the belt around his waist. (Sorry fangirls, I'm skipping the rest of the undressing scene ; )  
Once Link was dressed, he had forgotten how heavy his Green Garb was. Aling with all the things he had to carry. He almost fell off of the bed level, how light he felt.

"Oh, right, to the Spring." He said with some pep in his step for once.

He ran swiftly through the woods until he came to the point where the bridge stretched over the canyon and He saw the left turn into the spring. But he saw no horse in the middle of the crystalline waters, and he saw no Ilia.

"Ilia! Ilia!" He called. "Where are you?" But still he heard no cheerful voice call his name back. Lightly, the wind pushed it's way through the trees and circled through the spring, brushing the horseshoe shaped plant against his ankles. "-Auh. Oh, right." Reaching in his pocket he pulled out the ivory flute garbed in a few colorful beads that Ilia had sculpted for him. He smiled and put it to his lips, playing the song he had been taught long ago to call Thrae. Within a minute, maybe shorter, he heard Thrae's pounding hoofs upon the mossy ground, and Ilia came riding upon Thraes back towards the spring.

"Thrae! What are you doi-? Link!" Ilia smiled brightly and jumped off of Thraes back, running towards the boy. Almost tripping over her feet, she came to Link and nearly knocked him over with a hug. "You're back! You're back! I've missed you so much! You can hardly imagine."

Link hugged her close and then pushed her away enough to look into her eyes. "I've missed you too. I'm so releived that you were able to get your memory back."

"Yeah, same here.Oh... I've missed those blue eyes." She put her hand on his cheek and stared at him. Before it became too awkward, she let go of him and walked towards Thrae to bring her into the spring. "Time to wash you, you dirty horse." Giggling as she patted Thrae's nose.

"Ilia."

"Yes, Link?"

"How were you able to get Thrae to let you ride her? I thought she only let me get on her back."

"Oh! About that. See, when you got that Blue Armour at Kakariko VIlliage, part of one of the wrists fell off. I took it to give back to you. It looked like a pretty golden bracelet!" She waved her wrist to show the sparkling metal. "It smelled like you I guess. So she probably smelled you on it, and knew I was trustworthy."

"Is that so? Well I guess you should just keep it, shouldn't you."

"Really? Can I?"

"Sure thing, Ilia."

"Wow! Now I can adventure to all the places you have been, and ride through Hyrule Field, and-"

Link laughed "Now don't get carried away. It's pretty dangerous even if you go as far as crossing that bridge."

"Ohh you ruin all my fun" She kidded, sticking her tongue out at him playfully.

"Well I just don't want you to get hurt. I promised you, now you promise me."

Ilia blushed, and walked closer to Link. "I promise." Glancing at him, "Ehm... Link?"

"Mhm?"

"I have a present for you."

"Really, now what would that be? Do I get another pretty flute?"

Ilia walked closer to him, and shaking, she grabbed his shoulder, trying to get him to hug her. "No, this is something else."

"Well then show me." He chuckled.

"Link, I..." Then, summing up all of her courage, she took Link's head with her other hand, and slowly put her face in front of his, until before Link had time to take a breath, their lips touched.

Ilia kissed him.

When she let go, and half opened her eyes, his were wide open, and he didn't know what to say. He thought of things like- Ghee... thanks, or, Ilia wow, or, oh he didn'tknow WHAT to say! He opened his mouth to speak, but Ilia spoke before him,

"Link. Thank you. You saved me from something worse than death. You saved me from forgetting you."

And with that, she turned and placed her hand on Thrae's nose.

The horse whinnied lightly in almost a bashful chuckle at the two. Link smirked and gave Thrae a look that said 'Oh shut up, nothing happened.'

Link started his way back to his house.

When he closed the door behind him, he threw his hand to his forehead and looked at the ceiling, breathing heavily. "Ilia... She... I've been. Ilia kissed me! Holy Bokoblins!" 


	3. Chapter 3: The Celebration

PA: Well hey! Here to finish up part 2 of Chapter 2. You guys still pouncing around about the fact Ilia and Link finally hit it off?

Well I've got a few more surprises to come your way, so don't get too excited just yet. ;

.:.Chapter 2 – Part 2 – The Celebration.:.

"Uli, your Pumpkin Pastries are divine. Almost too delicious for these taste buds to handle." commented Link to the blonde woman who sat next to him at the table, as Link popped another cakey layered delicacy into his mouth. The party had already been started, makeshift streamers were tied around the tree and the watermill, and the village crowded next to Jaggle's home. Everyone was bustling with the excited expectancy that they would always feel as safe and happy as when our Ranch-Raised hero was there to protect them, and yes, it was in fact- everyone. The mayor had returned along with Telma. And Telma had brought along the group of Shad, Auru, and Ashei. The stars were shining brightly and the moon rode high in the clear night sky. Link laughed, remembering the clucky chicken that had said the same to his beast form in what seemed like only days ago.

"Link! Link! The dances are starting, come on!" Shouted Colin, whom took Links hand and pulled him from his feet and charged him towards a forming circle. Pergie opened the door to her home and came outside with a violin in her hands, then out came Jaggle with a small drum, and he started pounding it with a smile plastered on his face. As arms grabbed hold of the insides of Link's elbow, he crossed his arms with them and completed the circle. "Wow, I never knew you two could play!"

Pergie glanced up at him with the bow at ready and her chin resting on the base of the violin. "Really? I learned when I was a child. And my hubby here, well, together we're actually quite good."

"Is that so," Finished Uli, "Well then play on, music makers-" And she tripped over her words and laughed as the circle of villagers began to tap their feet and move with the beat of the drums. Pergie begin to play an up-beat tune that just completed the cheerful mood everyone was in. Link was smiling, laughing, and actually moving his feet without the worry that he was being chased by a black creature with a red-lined head plate. He looked to see who had so eagerly come to his side at the circle. At his right he noticed tiny Colin giggling and dancing the best he could, trying hard to keep up with the steps he hadn't known before. And to his left he saw Ilia. Her face was lovely toned with peach and pink upon her cheeks. Her brilliant green eyes sparkled with joy as her perfect smile lit up her face. Link blushed and paused in his own thoughts as he looked at her, somehow managing to keep up the pace with the rest of the villagers. He should have been overjoyed, the fact that he had received his first kiss from his life-long best friend. But yet as he looked upon her smiling face all he could feel was guilt. Guilty for what exactly, he did not know. But in the back of his mind he foretold heartbreak for the both of them. But still... He shook his head. It was no time for the boy to be thinking about misfortune! Ilia was beautiful that night. Dressed up in a dark green gown that he had never seen her wore before.

---

Even after the dancing was over, Pergie and Jaggle still played. Rusl ad Uri were busy engulfing their new daughter in kissy faces and baby-talk as they smiled at Inca's precious face.

Those from Telma's group were all seated at the outdoor table like they would at the bar,

Rusl was telling stories with Auru,

Shad sat in his own little world as he had his nose in a book as thick as a fingers-length, his wide eyes seemed to be even more intrigued by the way his glasses made them look.

And Ashei sat with the same motionless expression as she listened to Shad babble on and on about the Dominion Rod and the Sky Beings and such.

Finding a reason to escape from what she hears everyday, she glanced to her left and saw Link standing boredly near Pergie and Jaggle.

"Ah, Link," She began, standing from her seat. Her marching form was perfect and thus made her walking seem like a ghost floating in a straight line. "I've been meaning to talk with you."

Link blinked a bit surprised that Ashei was talking to him, but also not-so surprised as he imagined she'd want to tell him her false thank-yous for saving the land. "Mm?" He questioned.

"Link, A few months ago, when I spoke with you by Snowpeak, I heard from some of the Zora's that they spotted a Hylian garbed in green actually catching a reekfish. I thought only the Zoras could catch those. How did you manage that?".

Link opened his mouth to speak but Ashei cut him off.

"And also, after you went into Snowpeak, I could have sworn you would've frozen to death. Or something close. And the monster, he stopped coming down into the Zoras territory after the day you went there. Snow creature eats reekfish, you catch reekfish, you go into Snowpeak, return alive, Snow monster stops coming. A bit suspicious to me."

Her tone was accusing yet Link didn't understand why she would be upset.

Yet again, he opened his mouth but Ashei was first to speak,

"So what was the monster like, hm? Did he try to rip you limb from limb?" Answering her own suspicions with the tiniest hint of a smirk forming on her face.

Link blinked, and smiled. "He was the weirdest guy I have ever met. Well, weirdest _creature._ I've ever met. His name was Yeto, and he has this huge mansion in the middle of the mountains, it's covered in ice in a lot of places but I'm pretty surprised he would have the recourses and availability to that kind of money, and or service, and or supplies. He also had a snow creature wife named Yeta. She kept forgetting where she put the key to the room where the mirror piece was, and-"

"Mirror piece?"

"Nevermind. But yes, I had to run around their house killing monsters and being chased by Ice Wolves and little Ice Bug things. It took eons to finally get the key. I think she kept forgetting where it was because she was sick. Yeto was in the kitchen making soup, and the first time I went to get the key it was _cheese. _Could you imagine how ticked off she made me?"

Ashei laughed. That was something Link had never seen her do before.

"Sounds like those creatures gave you more trouble than you bargained for."

"Hardly a fair bargain if you ask me. I kill off every infestation, of sorts, in their house and all I got was a key, " laughing, "And in the end I had to leave because the two started getting a little too friendly in front of me."

Again Ashei chuckled. "Well, nice job anyways soldier. You put my warrior skills to shame." She finished abruptly, putting a hand out to shake his.

"Aheh, Ashei please." He shook her hand. "You and I both know you're lying.

She blinked, "Well, yeah, but I have to stay respectful to those who very well may have saved all of Hyrule from Ganandorf's tyranny."

"I see. Well Ashei, hope we can talk again."

"Maybe." And with that she walked back to her table.

When she returned to her seat Shad had his eyes peering at her over his book, and Link heard him mumble. "I've never seen you flirt before, miss warrior."

Link stared at Shad and Ashei turned red, pulling the book from his hands and said, "Flirting? Please. Shad you know me. I'm not a romantic. And if you think so and so were flirting then get it through your thick nerdy skull that Link has Ilia."

"O-o-oh right, the other girl-"

Ashei shoved the book back in his face and put her chin in her hand boredly.

"You're weird."

"Well If I do say so myself, you aren't the most normal of women either, Ashei."

Link laughed; did they always fight like this? He began walking past them and said, "You kids have fun." But Shad was too busy glaring at the warrior girl over his book to notice. And of course Ashei would not have said anything back, besides pulling out her sword, maybe.

Then Link realized where he was walking to, and saw Ilia leaning against the 'wall' of earth near the pumpkin patch. Her eyes were pointed to the moon until she heard Link approaching. She blushed.

Link spoke, "Hi Ilia."

She smiled, "Are you enjoying yourself, hero?"

He shrugged, "Yeah. This has been the most relaxing night since my journey, I can tell you that much."

"I'm not surprised. You went to all ends of the Earth."

"Ha, I went to a few ends in the sky too. Let me tell you," He placed himself next to her, "Being shot out of a cannon miles and miles into the air is no walk in the park."

"More like a walk in the wind."

He shrugged. "It was interesting."

"I bet. So…what was it like?"

"I just told you."

"Not the cannon."

"What then?"

"The twilight. I mean, you had to fight hundreds upon thousands of foul creatures of the darkness."

He paused, and thought of Midna. There was a difference between darkness and Twilight, and he couldn't even stand to hear the Twili be named as something foul. His head began to hurt. "Before the twilight fell over Hyrule, Rusl told me something."

"Yeah?"

"He said to me, "Do you ever feel a strange sadness as dusk falls? They say it's the only time that our world collides with theirs…""

"Their's?"

""…The only time we can feel the lingering regrets of spirits who have left our world. And that is why loneliness always pervades the hour of twilight.""

"Rusl said that to you?"

"Yes. I never really thought about it until now. But he was right. When I was stuck fighting for my life and trapped in mists of hell, all I felt was scared. Or very annoyed. But mostly scared."

"I don't think I've ever seen you scared before. You were always the first one to help me when I was in trouble."

"Yeah, but that's a bit different from your life being in danger every millisecond that passes-

As I was saying. Now when there is that small hour of Twilight, I feel lonely."

"There's no need to be lonely," Said Ilia. And she laid her head on his shoulder.

Link bit his lip, and closed his eyes.

"Yes there is."

Ilia blinked, and looked at him. "You have me Link."

Link's head was throbbing. "Ilia-"

Then Bo's voice was heard, "Alright everyone! It's starting to rain, let's get inside!"

---

For the rest of the evening Link couldn't even look at Ilia. Every time she tried to speak with him he would act like he didn't hear her, or told her his head hurt.

_You have me link._

"_But Ilia-" he wanted to say, _

"_-_you_ don't have _me_."_

_He didn't love Ilia. He didn't want to have Ilia. They would always be friends, and he would protect her when the time needed, but what Ilia didn't know when she told him that she was there, was that somebody else was not._

_The queen of the twilight was not there._

_The devilish little Imp that bossed him around was not there._

_Midna could never be there._

_Because the mirror had been broken forever._

"Forever isn't good enough."


End file.
